Almost a year after the retirement of his predecessor, Dr Peter Stuart has been officially installed as the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle. Bishop Stuart was elected Newcastle’s 14th Anglican Bishop last November, during a special session of synod. He was officially installed and commissioned at a ceremony at Christchurch Cathedral on Friday night. Bishop Stuart arrived in the Newcastle diocese in 2009, after serving in ministry in Tasmania and South Australia. He administered the diocese after the retirement of Bishop Brian Farran in 2012 and has effectively been leading since December, 2016, for Bishop Greg Thompson who then resigned in March, 2017 – only a few months after exposing opposition to his strong stand against child sexual abuse in the diocese. Bishop Stuart again became the diocese’s administrator last June. In an interview with the Newcastle Herald late last year, just after his election, he said he was a strong supporter of women in ministry and had “a vivid sense of being called to continue the ministry that Bishop Greg Thompson began”. After the final report into the Newcastle Anglican Diocese from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was released in December, Bishop Stuart said the community had been “betrayed” by the church’s action and inaction over decades. He promised to implement any necessary measures to address the failures highlighted in the report.

Newcastle Anglican Diocese installs Dr Peter Stuart as new bishop

Bishop Peter starts tenure

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

CEREMONY: The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The new Bishop of Newcastle, the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart, addresses the congregation moments after his installation at the Cathedral Church of Christ the King on Friday evening. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The new Bishop of Newcastle, the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart, addresses the congregation moments after his installation at the Cathedral Church of Christ the King on Friday evening. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

Sue Williams reads 'Some thoughts from Morris West' before the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the new Bishop of Newcastle. The passage included sections from 'The Clowns of God' and 'Lazarus'. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A young boy sits in the aisle as the new Bishop of Newcastle, Dr Peter Stuart, addresses the congregation after his installation. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The new Bishop of Newcastle, the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart, addresses the congregation moments after his installation at the Cathedral Church of Christ the King on Friday evening. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The new Bishop of Newcastle, the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart, addresses the congregation moments after his installation at the Cathedral Church of Christ the King on Friday evening. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A scene from the installation and commissioning of the Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

The Right Reverend Dr Peter Stuart is installed and commissioned as the Bishop of Newcastle on Cathedral Church of Christ the King. Photo: Simon McCarthy

A young boy sits in the aisle as the new Bishop of Newcastle, Dr Peter Stuart, addresses the congregation after his installation. Photo: Simon McCarthy

He was officially installed and commissioned at a ceremony at Christchurch Cathedral on Friday night.

Bishop Stuart arrived in the Newcastle diocese in 2009, after serving in ministry in Tasmania and South Australia.

He administered the diocese after the retirement of Bishop Brian Farran in 2012 and has effectively been leading since December, 2016, for Bishop Greg Thompson who then resigned in March, 2017 – only a few months after exposing opposition to his strong stand against child sexual abuse in the diocese.

Bishop Stuart again became the diocese’s administrator last June.

In an interview with the Newcastle Herald late last year, just after his election, he said he was a strong supporter of women in ministry and had “a vivid sense of being called to continue the ministry that Bishop Greg Thompson began”.

After the final report into the Newcastle Anglican Diocese from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was released in December, Bishop Stuart said the community had been “betrayed” by the church’s action and inaction over decades.

He promised to implement any necessary measures to address the failures highlighted in the report.